Panel wants to boost menhaden levels

Cory Nealon

In a move hailed by environmentalists and recreational anglers, an interstate fishery panel agreed Wednesday to boost the Atlantic menhaden population.

Meeting in Boston, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission set a new goal for the fish, which is too bony and oily for dinner plates but ideal for making heart-healthy vitamins, fertilizer and animal feed.

The commission wants menhaden, which number in the billions along the coast and in the Chesapeake Bay, to reach 30 percent of their historical population. The fishery is currently at 8 percent.

The decision was not surprising given that commission scientists last year issued a report detailing menhaden levels from 1954 to 2008. They found that overfishing occurred in 32 of the 54 years, including 2008.

Limiting the menhaden harvest will give striped bass and other predator fish prized by anglers more food to eat, said Chris Moore, a scientist with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. The Annapolis-based nonprofit has been pressing for tougher regulations on the fish, often called “the most important in the sea,” for years.

“This is a big step,” Moore said.

The move was opposed by Omega Protein, which processes roughly 80 percent of the Atlantic catch in Reedville on Virginia’s Northern Neck. The Atlantic’s sole menhaden processing plant, it employs roughly 300 people and is one of the region’s largest employers.

Spokesman Ben Landry said the company may be forced to make layoffs. He added that reaching the 30 percent target would cut Omega’s catch by 37 percent.

Unlike Maryland, Virginia allows menhaden fishing in its portion of the bay. The commission’s action may prompt the General Assembly to lower the catch limit, something Omega will likely oppose.

“I’m all but certain we’ll be out in full force this January in Richmond,” Landry said.